SOTW - Project for Attorney Retention
Friday January 16, 2009
Are you a lawyer? Are you overworked? (Sorry if the question seems redundant.) Then you should visit the Project for Attorney Retention, an initiative of the Center for WorkLife Law of the University of Hastings College of Law, and the About Working Moms Site of the Week.
The Project for Attorney Retention is at the forefront of reshaping the way lawyers work in order to accommodate, well, basically anyone who wants a life outside of the office. Through research on part-time attorneys and by pushing new models of legal practice, PAR aims to keep talented women and men who want family lives from leaving the legal field. That includes making the business case for balanced hours and flexibility.
Not only can you find best practices and work-life resources on the Web site, you can reach out directly to PAR officials to work with your law firm to improve work-family balance.
Are you an attorney frustrated with the hours your profession demands? Or have you found a way to make it work? Please leave a comment or start a discussion in the forum!
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Connect With Working Moms on Facebook!
Thursday January 15, 2009
If you're a Facebook addict like many of my friends, you can connect with me and other working moms through the social networking site. Please visit About Working Moms on Facebook and become a fan of the page.
You'll receive updates whenever there's a new blog post. You can also share articles, photos and video, and start discussions with other working moms about my content or other news of interest.
Remember, you can also:
And of course, you can always comment on the blog or in the forum. Whew! I hope at least one of those methods is easy and convenient for your busy lives.
Help! I Need a Friend
Wednesday January 14, 2009
Last week I had the rare opportunity to go out on a week night -- to an adult event in the city, no less. My friend Marion Winik was reading from her new (fabulous) book and I couldn't bear to miss it.
But I went alone. Not for lack of trying. I called up my sister-in-law, writing friends and my single buddies who live in the city. Nobody was free. And I couldn't blame them -- I've turned down more of their invitations than I can count, being so busy with work and the kids.
I think the problem is that I've gotten out of practice being a friend. Don't get me wrong, I'm a good friend by phone, by email and by Facebook. But my in-person gabfests are pretty limited these days.
So I'm belatedly adding another resolution to my list for 2009 -- cultivating friendships. It's so easy as an overscheduled mom to let them slip away, and then they're simply gone. I am trying to see friends for a workday lunch and also scheduling regular phone calls so that months won't go by without any contact.
Readers, how do you make time for friends? Or, how do you make the most of the moments you can snatch in between other commitments?
This post is part of the All About Parenting Blog Carnival for February, which is hosted by Ann Logsdon, the Guide to Learning Disabilities. If you're a blogger interested in submitting a blog post on the topic of friends to the carnival, please contact Ann!
Photo credit: Flying Colours Ltd./Getty Images
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More Uproar Over Lead Law, Used Children's Products
Monday January 12, 2009
I've been covering Washington D.C. for a decade now, so I shouldn't be surprised by the continuing furor over sales of clothes, toys and other gear for children aged 12 and younger. New safety standards that take effect Feb. 10 have riled up the resale industry and handcrafters, who say it will be cost prohibitive to certify that children's products are free of phthalates and lead.
I thought that an announcement last week by the Consumer Product Safety Commission that secondhand stores don't have to test children's products would settle the resale side of things. Oh, how wrong I was. From the comments on this blog and emails that I've received, many thrift store owners are far from relieved. The National Association of Resale & Thrift Shops calls the clarification a step in the right direction but is still urging members to petition for an exemption for clothing and shoes for children older than 3.
My understanding of the commission's position, from their announcement and an interview with spokeswoman Patty Davis, is that secondhand stores don't have to test items and that they won't be targeted for selling products that haven't been certified as free from lead or phthalates. Under last year's Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act, it's still illegal to sell children's items that do contain these toxins, however, so the agency is urging the stores to use good judgment in avoiding products that might contain lead or phthalates. For instance, children's jewelry, clothing with buttons of unknown origin, and the like.
Call me crazy, but this strikes me as kind of a reasonable position. As a consumer, I'm not that familiar with the materials used to make different goods. I would certainly rely on a thrift store owner, who every day judges products and clothes as to their value and manufacture, to flag anything that might be suspicious. If an item is in doubt, the store owner should simply not sell it.
It's gross hyperbole for resellers to say that they'll have to dump their entire inventory of children's clothes after Feb. 10 because they don't know what might contain lead. I would hope they use their skills and experience to sort out those items that might be on the borderline, and keep those that present no risk. If there are some items in their inventory that might contain toxins, I'm alarmed!
Either the store owner or the consumer is going to have to bear the risk of products containing hazardous chemicals. As a parent and consumer, I think the retailer should take that responsibility. As for small businesses that produce handmade children's items, and must bear the high cost of certifying that products are toxin free, I sympathize but don't have a good solution.
Do you disagree? Agree? Think I'm off my rocker? Please comment below. Or, take action yourself by signing an e-petition or by contacting your member of Congress, senator or the commission itself.
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